The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-10-05
Radical COrruption---Deno Stu.
pidity.

While the Legislature is In session this term,
we think il would he we'll for them to look in
| TO our public school system little. rake tne
matter of books for instance, there could he
much good done. We believe that there Is q
law regulating what books should be used,
! but rs far MS we learn IT Il dead letter. some
uniform system OF text BOOKS Shoulu oe
adopted and rigidly enforced. AS the prnc'
! tice Is at present, every teacher has wide dis.
crction !n the selection Of his text books: and
! in every school district will be found a di!ier'
cnt set of books. This, of course, places a
needless expense upon man VINO changes
! from one district to another. He has 10 bny
an entirely new set Of books, and school hooks
are proverbially costly. Now the state o0aru
could enforce the law that every public school
! teacher shnuld use The same books and every
| scholar would receive the bet advantages
| possible The cost of books Is the prinripa
objection, to the present system. ana an M
! formity Is the only remedy WMnSborO NeW'
! and HtTutd.
Upon which we would remark:
The whole law regulating the particular
| books TO be used in our public schools should
be repealed.
We believe the Radicals enacted the law III
the first place, Mt the instance OF publishers
who desired to have their publications MADE
the !egolized text books of the State. such
! law is equivalent to giving them the pat
ent right FOR furnishing books 10 the children
| of this State and this fact accounts Tor the
high price which we are forced to pay FOL
them.
Some of our readers may remember the
scandal which WAS circulated at the time o
its enactment, whereby the Radical Legisia
tors and the school book publishers wero
made notorious.
| To the existence Of that law, which we De-
lieve was conceived by Radical corruption
and which we further believe has been pre-
served and nurtured by Democratic stupidi-
~, do we owe the present iniquitons system
of robbing the people in the purchase OF their
school books.
Why not allow the people and the teachers
to 60 into the markets and buy the books
which may be best suited to their needs, ana
which may be offered TO them at living rates
and fair terms.
Everybody that knows anything about the
books, knows that the prices charged are
enormously high.
This high price may come from two rca
sons:
First 1t may require of the successful pub
fisher some expense and considerable time IN
coaxing the school authorities 10 adopt any
particular system. If incurred by the pub
Usher this expense must be repaid BY the chill
dren.
Second. The publisher who gains the pat
ent right TO farnish books with which TO edu
cate our children, will make the further dc
mand Of n royalty on each book sold 10 oni
children. This further demand must be paid
| by the children.
We say, repeal the odlous law connected
l,,1 rt,h
lie morals and an outrage on private rights.
! 1t is all right and proper for the law and tht
Constitution to say what branches OF educa
tior shall be taught, but IL Is trespass upon
the prerogative Of the teacher, and roobery
of the children, to dictate 10 the one or u
force the other, to use q particular publlca
lion at enormously high prices.
! Even if we had an incompetent State Su
pcrintendent Of Education, worthless Srhoo'
commissioners, and idiotic school teachers
no warrant in justice 10 the people, can cX
cuse our legislators either for debating IL
| our people the name Of the publisher from
whom they must buy their books or for Civ
| ing favored publishers the exclusive right tc
sell their books 10 our people.
| If the government had printing office o
| its own, and If II had officially appointed edi'
tors Of the school books to be printed, would
not any order requiring the people TO buy
them at double price, be tyranny which was
never practiccd on any free people? still FOL
all this, our Lawmakers, with the cheek OF q
govern mcnt mule, Will enact "a law implying
;hat our people are fools without sense to buy
school books, and requiring them to buy the
books of Northern publisher, ard without
even restricting him as to the price of his old
books, some of which we have heard, contain
insulting histories Of the war.